Sharing, Caring, Helping, Protection and Cooperation by Mindfulness and Right Understanding.

23 October 2015

Part Four : QA and Dhamma Discussion (USA)

Question and Answer and Dhamma Discussion

with Overseas Disciple from USA (Part IV)

Traditionally people can do any
kinds of dana (good deeds
or donations) at any time and place, observe sila at any time and place by taking precepts,
practice meditation at any time and place by following the methods and
instructions from the manuals ... all are not difficult actions. You can do those actions either at home or on
your own or you can simply go to any of the meditation centres to do it. Not that difficult.

Doing those actions can be
considered as merely doing good deeds superficially and thus difficult to
realise the essence, the power of 'abandoning' in your mind. Those actions show that you only possess the
power of 'doing' but lacks the power of 'abandoning'.

Everybody knows how to depend on
themselves, on Buddha, Dhamma and Sanga (Triple Gems), etc but unable to
abandon the habit of depending on themselves, on Triple Gems, etc in their
minds. Thus, they can never be able to
accomplish the essence of 'abandoning'.

It
is the universal truth if you can use the constraint of time to overcome
obstacles, and not to end your path on sense of time.

Over the years, I have been
continuously guiding, solving the problems and issues of those who are
interested in to practice dhamma and meditation beyond traditional way,
including our local people, locals living in foreign countries as well as
foreigners.

By doing so, along the way, I have
discovered even more effective and useful ways to solve those issues. Hence, as time goes by, problems and issues
of mind become so much easier for me to handle.

You might still find my teachings
as difficult as long as you are facing difficulties in understanding the issues
of your mind. Similarly, it is even more
challenging for me to explain and teach you those deep issues till you
understand them clearly. Hence, the
difficulties remain in both ways and for both parties.

Currently, you only have
superficial understanding. Hence, you
might find going beyond those superficial understanding as difficult. Currently you have the power of doing superficial
actions. Hence, you might find
abandoning your this habit as difficult.

As for me, it might not be so
challenging if I just follow the food steps of my teachers and masters. Since I had listened to their teachings for
countless of times in the past, I became familiar with the teachings of my
teachers and masters. Hence, walking along
the path paved by my teachers Mogok Sayadaw, TheInnGu Sayadaw and other teachers
might not be as uphill task as paving my own way ... like what I am doing now.

I might not need to use new
terminologies, explore more effective methods and approaches of teaching if the
traditional ways of teaching can effectively address to the issues and problems
of the mind. I can just distribute
recorded teachings and encourage people to practice as per the recorded
teachings or if they do not have place to practice, I can simply establish
meditation centre rather than exploring new ways of teachings personally.

Since I personally discovered that
the conventional teachings are not so exhaustive and adequate, together with
those who have already been practicing and those who are genuinely interested
in to practice dhamma and meditation beyond conventional way, I tried my best
to explain and teach till the yogis and disciples have clear understanding.

I always encourage people to
cultivate the right mindset to understand dhamma beyond conventional
understanding. Along the way, I also
discover new ways and approaches of teaching dhamma and meditation even more
effectively.

I personally believe that if you clear
your doubts by asking Questions while practicing, your understanding will
definitely be improved. You will not
have any improvement if you develop negative feelings, e.g. you do not feel
like asking Questions anymore or practicing meditation anymore.

Judgement depends on
attitude .... Effect depends on the way of doing.

You will experience improvements
as long as you practice meditation regularly and diligently.

You will never be able to
experience any improvements, the problems and difficulties will still be
remained as problems and difficulties, if you do not practice meditation
regularly and diligently.

If you carry out created actions
diligently, you will only know how to do created actions such as how to earn
money, how to earn more money, how to do various actions, etc.

If you set aside some of your time
to do good deeds continuously, your problems and issues of not knowing how to
practice meditation and not understanding dhamma will gradually be solved due
to the merit accumulated from the good deeds that you did.

Once you know how to do
'abandoning' in your mind, you will also be able to help people to acquire
similar understanding like you. By doing
so, you will eventually have alternatives and choices for your life.

In the past, before practicing
meditation, I did not have any alternatives and choices. After setting my foot firmly in dhamma and
insight meditation, I had completely abandoned my created actions, works,
business and endeavours. By doing so,
change of actions and direction of life happened. I was given priceless chance to switch my
direction completely and do unimaginable actions of life since there are not
many who can do actions like me.

If you actually practice
meditation way beyond conventional ways, you will gradually discover that there
are countless of shortfalls and vacuum in this field. The reason could be because there are not
many who are doing those actions intensely as well as there are not many who
can be able to do those actions effectively.

I abandoned my previous life style
when I started to realised that there are countless of people who are doing the
same created actions as me and thus it is not at all crucial for me to hang on
to that life style.

As a beginner, try your best to
practice meditation regularly while carrying out your usual created actions and
obligations. At the same time, try to
encourage others to follow your footsteps.

Good Deeds can
change from .... immature to be matured ... unhealthy to be healthy ...
stressful to be relaxed ... unstable to be stable ... weak to be powerful ...
Do limitless Good Deeds

Even doing those simple and basic
actions can truly and genuinely be beneficial and thus you will experience even
greater results and benefits. Try to
perfect your skills by practicing regularly and diligently.

I am still perfecting my teaching
and explanation skill by continuously doing limitless good deeds, teaching and coaching
regardless of my physical condition, whether I am feeling exhausted or sick or
feel like resting.

Your teaching skill might never be
improved if you keep on uttering created (worldly) topics and issues.

Your skill of doing good deeds
will never be improved if you keep on doing created actions.

While carrying out your usual created
actions, you should also try to explore into new and unknown territories like
this.

Since you still need to do your
usual created actions and fulfil your created obligations, set aside some of
your time to do more rewarding actions like this. While doing those two actions concurrently,
try to reduce the time which you set aside for your created actions (obligations)
and gradually increase your time for original actions like this.

The side effect of created actions
can be the deteriorating health. It is
because you focus your attention solely on your outside actions but totally
neglect the health alarm of your body.

In other words, your mind
habitually pays full attention only on created truth like method, time, place,
who, whom, etc but fails to pay attention on your physical body. In other words, you chase after the created
truths without realising the happenings of your mind and the physical body.

Worldly actions are related to
created truth. The more you do created
actions and the more you pay attention to created actions, the less you will
pay attention to the happenings and changes of your body. For example, you might fail to notice the
temperature changes (hot and cold) and other not so obvious signs and alarms of
your body till those small and minute problems become big, out of control and
turn into serious problems.

Try to know the
original truth by real practice, not by theory.

Get the definite
answer by practice.

Prove by deeds, not
by words.

If you follow my way and train
your mind accordingly, your mind will stop depending on and focusing on the
external created things, such as whether you have money or not, whether you are
famous or not, whether you are educated or not, etc.

Once you do not allow your mind to
pay so much attention to the words of the books and perceived qualifications,
your mind will automatically be paying more attention to the physical body.

Once you abandon paying attention to
the external issues, your mind will start to do its primary task of looking
after the physical body. As such, you
will not encounter serious health problems and thus no longer need to seek medical
treatments.

As long as you cut down your created
actions and as much as you do your created actions as 'doing-only' without any
attachment, you can keep on doing your usual and routine created actions
without compromising your health.

If you do not have the mind power
of 'abandoning' and focus your full attention on those created actions, you
will surely experience unwanted side effects.

As far as speaking or talking is
concerned, people tend to focus solely on the actions of 'speaking or talking'
without considering when to talk or what to talk or how to approach as well as
without giving any consideration on time, place and situation. This typically is our nature of doing created
actions.

As far as doing actions to earn
money is concerned, people tend to focus solely on the actions of earning
without considering other issues.

Hence, this is the proof that
doing actions in habitual and traditional ways produce unfavourable side
effects.

On one hand, you might achieve
your objectives and fulfil your ambitions but on the other hand, you might also
receive unexpected and unwanted side effects.

You might have what you aimed for
but at the same time, you might also receive unwanted side effects as bonus.

For this reason, you need to
develop the power of 'abandoning' in your mind.
Then only you will know how to do necessary actions only. You will also achieve appropriate, relevant and
favourable results.

Daily activities to participate ….

ThaBarWa Centre or ThaBarWa Yeiktha is an ideal place for learning and practicing meditation as well as for helping others who have physical and mental limitations and difficulties.

Our center takes care of everybody, regardless of age, race and religion, who cannot support themselves and survive on their own due to various reasons and at the same time teaching them how to meditate and purify their mind.

The population of our centre is more than 2,500. By staying at our centre, you will have plenty of chances to experience and participate in the following activities …

1. Following the monks in their daily alms rounds and helping in distributing the alms food to infirm, old folks and meditators.

2. Taking care of and assisting infirm or old folks with their chores.

3. Visiting branches of ThaBarWa Centres (across Myanmar).

4. Learning Burmese culture and the people.

5. Attending insight meditation session and classes.

6. Helping in the kitchen, cooking and distributing food.

7. Helping in the health care, in the clinics and wards.

8. Helping in the library.

9. Assisting Venerable with management, IT and technology.

10. Visiting the mercy villages which were established (by ThaBarWa) for homeless and needy families and individuals.

11. Sharing your language, IT and technology knowledge and expertise with adults and Children of our centre.

Sayadaw Ashin Ottamasara

Please click the photo to visit Sayadaw's facebook

Biography

Sayadaw Ashin Uttamasara was born in Katha, Sagaing Division, Myanmar on Sunday 26th October 1969.

Since his youth he placed full value on education. He passed Matriculation in 1986 with flying colors. After completing a B.A (English, Honors) from the University of Yangon in 1992, he became a young entrepreneur and successful businessman within a short period of time.

Faced with difficulties and frustrations in running a complex business for 7 years, he sought refuge in the Dhamma in 1999. With the help of a Dhamma friend, he entered the Mogok Meditation Centre at Insein Monastery for a five-day meditation retreat, becoming initiated in Dhamma contemplation and practice.

From February 1999 to January 2002 he deeply concentrated on meditation. He became so devoted to Dhamma that he was able to reduce his business calmly, without much attachment.

For the propagation of Dhamma he donated all the assets he had accumulated during 6 years of entrepreneurship. He then concentrated on charity, morality and insight contemplation to find the perfect Truth.

In 2002, he was ordained in Yangon by Sayadaw U Nayyasagara and started to teach Vipassana Insight Meditation.

Today, Sayadaw teaches Dhamma and Guided Vipassana Insight Meditation in various institutions, schools, hospitals and individual residences in Myanmar and other countries.

Sayadaw remains a well-known name throughout the shores of Myanmar and beyond.

Thabarwa is a place for everyone!!

Thabarwa Center is a non-profit humanitarian organization working for a noble cause.

We provide a home sweet home for everybody (both for locals and foreigners alike), unconditionally.

We open 24 hours a day, seven days a week without recess.

The activities of Sayadaw Ashin Uttamasara and Thabarwa Center are wide and various, serving the spiritual and physical needs of thousands from far and near.

More and more visitors from all over Myanmar and abroad are coming daily to visit, learn meditation and volunteer their skills and time in caring for those taking refuge at Thabarwa Center.

Good deeds at Thabarwa

• Providing refuge not only for meditators but also for the old aged, homeless, orphans, loners, infirm and the people with physical and mental difficulties.

• Currently more than 2,500 people (as of October 2015) taking refuge at our centre.

• Providing health care, food, clothing, shelter, clean water for cooking and drinking, etc. and offering aids and support for free of charge.

• Solving day to day problems of centre residents, meditators, volunteers and visitors.

• Communicating and cooperating with volunteers, charities, non-profit organizations and philanthropists from Myanmar and abroad.

• Conducting daily Vipassana Insight Meditation and Dhamma Talks.

• Conducting retreats in the traditions of renowned vipassana meditation masters. All the meditation methods are being utilized without attachment to any particular method.